The Game Of Life
by Rainie
Summary: I'm sorry.....I'm sorry.....I'm sorry......HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER! ^_^
1. A Happy Ending, Or A New Evil?

Well here it is, the long awaited sequel to "Don't Turn Away"! Okay, so it wasn't "long - awaited" so to speak, but. . . Oh well, you get the point. Anyways, I'm determined to make this fanfic longer than the other one by at least a few chapters, so let's cross our fingers for the goal, shall we? Oh yah, and all you new readers who clicked on this fanfic without reading "Don't Turn Away", GO READ THAT ONE FIRST! After all, this is the sequel, is it not? Anyway, enough chitchat. READ ON!  
  
Disclaimer: Ya'll know the drill. I don't own any Sonic characters except the ones I make which are not to be used without my permission blah, blah, blah. . .  
  
~*~ Chapter One:  
  
It was autumn for Station Square and its surrounding areas. Leaves of all colors floated in the air as the strong breeze blew them off the trees. Numerous people crushed the leaves, going in and out of stores and such. This was the same for the Mystic Ruins, where a two-tailed fox and his hedgehog friend worked on a big, blue airplane, given the title, TORNADO 2, which would be upgraded to the Tornado 3 soon. Tails and Sonic were both dressed in overalls, so as not to get oil and other things onto their shiny fur. Even weeks after the robotization incident occurred, Tails still believed that Eggman was out there somewhere, alive and well and planning his next attack on the human (or animal, in this case) race, and so set himself on preparing a bigger, and certainly more improved, model of his prize airplane.  
  
"Tails, are you sure this is necessary?" asked a very disgruntled teen hog. Sonic was more prone to running than working on machines. More so was he yearning to be with his girlfriend, Amy. Unfortunately, she was out shopping at the Station Square mall center.  
  
"Yes, Sonic, I'm completely certain that he's out there, making another plan to take over the world!"  
  
Sonic sighed. Sometimes, Tails set his mind to something so much that you could never get him to change his mind, no matter how much you tried. Not even his best friends could do that.  
  
"And what if he's not out there after all? What if he's dead?"  
  
Tails spoke easily as he continued working. "There's always some kind of evil out there, Sonic. If he's dead, then surely there will be a new enemy for us to defeat."  
  
His companion sighed again. "I wonder what Knux is up to."  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile, a red echidna and a white bat enjoyed the scenery of the Fall Season. Rouge and Knuckles were sitting down on the steps of the Master Emerald shrine. Over the course of a few months, they had grown very fond of each other. Now they were a couple, and a very close one at that. Rouge had decided to stay on Angel Island, to protect the Master Emerald with Knuckles, partly because she had tried to steal it once, and wanted to protect it so that no one would steal it again; and partly because she loved Knux too much to leave him for long.  
  
For Knuckles, it was a wonder how much change had gone through him while Rouge was there. Unlike before, there was only a stern, unfeeling echidna who would not let anyone even a step toward the emerald. Some of that firmness still stood out in him, but much less than before. All of his friends noticed this, and were glad to see that he had lightened up. That did not mean that he wasn't lenient when it came to his duties, though. On some occasions, Rouge noticed, the full nature of his former stature stood out more than ever. It was these times when Rouge decided to leave him alone, as did the rest of their little gang. This was rare, however. Today they just stared up at the sky, looking at the clouds and imagining what they looked like. A childish game, they knew, but to them it was fun. They did this almost every day, excluding the days when Knux was particularly harsh, and the rainy or snowy days. Playing this pastime soothed both of them. They laughed together and pointed at the ones they were looking at, sometimes fighting over what one of them looked like. However, none of these fights was serious, better described as playful, and they always managed to laugh about them in the end.  
  
"Hey Rouge, that one looks like you." The red echidna pointed at a cloud that looked vaguely like Rouge. She shot him a glare, and swatted his arm playfully. He snickered.  
  
"I think it looks more like you, Knux." She grinned as she looked up at it. What she saw wasn't much different from her boyfriend's discovery. It was just that the cloud had shifted and now looked more like him.  
  
Knuckles poked her in the arm lightheartedly. "It does NOT!"  
  
She smirked at him. "Really? Look up."  
  
So he did. It surprised him so much how Rouge was always right about those things. He looked over at her. She was grinning at him innocently. He chortled.  
  
"Alright, you win."  
  
"For the fourth time today." She said, smiling again. Her brilliant smile made Knuckles' heart flutter. It always did.  
  
Rouge's ears perked up suddenly. Knuckles noticed this.  
  
"What's wrong? Hear something?"  
  
As hunters, they both knew that each being had a different rhythm to their step. Rouge, with her ears, could pick up this beat, and it seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it. She shook her head.  
  
"It's nothing, probably just Sonic."  
  
Knuckles, however, kept his guard up. Rouge could see it in his eyes that inside he was still the fierce hunter she had known when they had first met. Her eyes sparkled at the memory.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Who are you? And what are you doing on MY Island?" Asked Knuckles intensely.  
  
"Rouge the bat, treasure hunter. I came for the jewel, and I'm not leaving without it."  
  
"Too bad, bat - girl, that Emerald's mine."  
  
"I'll fight you for it." She challenged, a smirk crossing her face. This was going to be easy, or so she thought.  
  
"Fine with me." Was the echidna's reply, a sneer crossing his face.  
  
The battle ensued for about an hour or so, when they both tired out. (Insert "Enter Knuckles"/"Enter Rouge" scene here)  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
"Rouge? Hey, Rouge!"  
  
The white bat blinked several times. "Huh?"  
  
"I said, Sonic's here."  
  
"Oh! Hi, Sonic!" she grinned sheepishly.  
  
A smirk was plastered on the blue hedgehog's face. "Glad to see you've come back to earth."  
  
She managed a small glare his way. "Yeah, yeah. So spill, why are you here?"  
  
"He was planning on taking us to the beach, then lunch, then to chao world, which you would have heard had you been listening." Knuckles smiled. She rolled her eyes and grinned too.  
  
"Right, let's go before the day's gone by."  
  
~*~  
  
WELL! I've got the first chapter posted! WOO! WOO! I never actually thought I'd get this far, writing a sequel. Anyway, please review! Ciao, till next chappie peeps!  
  
~Rainie~ 


	2. Enter Dr Alchmez

Oh, I hope this isn't permanent. Where are you guys, anyway? Oh well, your loss if you don't read, ya know. Anyway, READ ON!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Tails stood, admiring his work. Sonic had decided to run off somewhere earlier, so he let him go. It wasn't as if Sonic was really into machines anyway, and Tails had not really needed his help in the first place, just someone to talk to while he labored. He decided to have lunch on his own, seeing as his friend wasn't going to be back any time soon. So, he went off to Station Square to find a decent fast food restaurant. He didn't feel like making himself something today.  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile, while everything was happening with our heroes, there was a mysterious person lurking in the shadows of the large trees surrounding the shrine of the Master Emerald. He gazed at the jewel, longing to grab it and run, but the echidna and his friend were still leaving. He wanted to go grab it as soon as they stood up and left, but that would not have been very wise, as his partner pointed out.  
  
"Not yet!" another being nagged annoyed at his companion's haste. "If you go now, that stupid bat will definitely hear you. Wait until they are completely off the island, then you can go grab it."  
  
"If you would have let me grab that stupid mutant fox we could have gotten it with one of his contraptions!" the first voice argued.  
  
"He would not have helped you. He is the hedgehog's best friend and ally. Not to mention the two that just left."  
  
The two bickered mutely, finally deciding that they would grab the "Orange Furball" and have him invent a deadly weapon, and then steal the Emerald. However, this could not be done in one day, they knew. The child was a prodigy, being a genius in mechanics and all, but he did have his limits.  
  
~*~  
  
"Sonic, where's Amy?" asked Rouge as she glided over the landscape, landing directly in front of the train that would take them to Station Square.  
  
Knuckles set him down as the hedgehog was about to speak. "She's out mall - crawling. She'll be at the beach after she'd done. I called her and told."  
  
Knuckles and Rouge looked at each other. "How come you didn't go with her?" Knux inquired.  
  
"Had to help Tails with the Tornado 2." The blue hedgehog replied before stepping onto the train.  
  
"Oh," His two friends followed. They were on the train for a while, until Sonic spotted Tails flying in the direction the train was going. He rolled down the window.  
  
"Hey! Tails! C'min here!" he shouted. Tails heard him, and looked over. He was glad to see Sonic there in the train. The orange kitsune was barely able to fit through the window, but he did manage to squeeze through.  
  
"Hi, Sonic!" he turned and saw Rouge and Knuckles there too. This shocked the young fox.  
  
"What are you two doing here?"  
  
"Sonic invited us to a day at the beach, and lunch, and then chao world." Knuckles replied.  
  
"Did cover the Master Emerald?" Tails asked.  
  
Rouge slapped her forehead. "I KNEW I forgot something!"  
  
"Would you relax? Eggman's gone, remember?" said Knuckles.  
  
"Yeah, but there's always evil out there somewhere. And anyone would want the Master Emerald Knux. It's really powerful, and I don't think anyone could resist a jewel that big."  
  
"They don't know how to get up onto the island though." Knuckles reasoned.  
  
"But let's say they were already ON the island! Eggman, or someone just like him could get up there easily!"  
  
The red echidna grabbed her hand tightly. "Don't worry, just have a little fun. You'll see, it'll be there when we get back." He gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
"I hope so. I don't want to have to go through having to collect all the shards if you destroyed it. Again." She added as an afterthought. Sonic snickered.  
  
"Wow, Knux, I thought you said Eggman smashed it. I never thought you could be so careless."  
  
"Oh shut up." Knuckles punched his arm playfully. They arrived soon enough at the Station Square train station, and headed in a beeline toward the beach. Once there, they wondered what to do.  
  
~*~  
  
"Well?"  
  
A tall, vast figure stood in the hallway of his base. This was Dr. Alchmez, alchemy being his number one favorite past - time, along with collecting the Emeralds. The doctor's interest in creating gold from lead began when he was but a child. He had always been fascinated by what his father could do, and wanted to do it for himself. He differentiated from his father in many ways though. One of the reasons he hated his dad was because he had used them for the good - or pleasure, rather - of the human race, and was famous for it too. He himself never really had fit in, always being the oddball in school. Then in high - school and college he had been made fun of by his fellow classmates for being such a science whiz. Well, now he would show them. He had the ultimate plan to get his revenge on those who mocked him, and all the others while he was at it.  
  
His minions, however, were very intelligent, and sometimes he worried that they would overpower him. One of them he had picked up just recently. The man had landed right in front of his station, and looked to be both electrocuted and burned. He had turned him to gold, like his other subordinate was, and now he served Alchmez. The other, well, the other was once just his sister, whom he loathed tremendously, and so he transformed her too. He had told his mother that Marigold was missing, and she had gone into hysterics.  
  
"We were not able to get it master," sneered the newest member. "Marigold would not stop complaining about how we should have waited - "  
  
Alchmez held up his hand for silence. "Did I ask for an excuse?"  
  
Both the gold ones shook their heads silently.  
  
"I will not tolerate failure again, do you understand me? Those two jewels are KEY to our successful mission, understand?"  
  
They bowed. "Yes master."  
  
"Good, now get out of my sight!"  
  
~*~  
  
Sonic flipped over on his back, tanning. His friends couldn't understand why he was doing so, there was not enough sun to tan, but just enough to go surfing or swimming without freezing much. Knuckles and Rouge built a sand castle together, while Tails and Amy went swimming. They decided to have lunch after about two hours at the beach, and found a cool new restaurant with excellent fried foods, and, soon after, visited their chao. Each whistled, and about five or six chao came up to them.  
  
"Mommy!" Diamond cried, "There's a new chao here!"  
  
"Really?" Rouge responded, "Who?"  
  
Her other chao shifted. "Well, it's not named yet. . . "  
  
"Why not?" Knux inquired.  
  
"Uh. . ." all six chao muttered uneasily.  
  
"Okay, that's it, Storm, spill the beans." Tails demanded gently.  
  
"But - "  
  
"HunterbredachaowithSkye!" Diamond blurted out suddenly.  
  
Knuckles' mouth dropped open. Rouge's reaction was equal to his. Hunter and Skye slumped down. Sonic snickered, and Amy giggled.  
  
"Some relationship, even your chao are mating."  
  
"Oh be quiet." Rouge scolded.  
  
After a while of playing with their chao, Knuckles and Rouge went to name the new chao, while everyone said their goodbye's and left.  
  
"So, what do we name him?" Asked Knuckles.  
  
"Her," Rouge corrected.  
  
"Whatever." Knux smirked as he carried the newborn.  
  
"How about Amethyst? It IS a purple chao after all."  
  
Her boyfriend stared at her. "Are you hooked on jewels or what?"  
  
"Always have been."  
  
So it was settled, they took the chao to the fortune teller, and she was named Amethyst. ~*~  
  
So? How was it? You guys, PLEASE review! I miss ya'll! PLEASE? ( I'm sorry; I just had to put that lil chao thing in there, for my humor, and my sense of romance. I'm stupid, I know. I wouldn't be surprised if you flamed me for it. Til next one peepz! C'ya!  
  
~Rainie~ 


	3. One For The Doctor, Eight For the Heroes

Cooooooooooool! Thank Ya'll for reviewing! *grins widely* I am so very truly sorry for not posting sooner. I had a big technical problem where it wouldn't let me into my file! Plus, I have these major projects due in L.A. for poetry! Alright, so anyway, READ ON!:  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
"Whew, what a workout." Knuckles said a while later, grabbing a towel off the ground.  
  
"You put up quite a fight, Treasure - hunter," Rouge said with a teasing smirk. The corner of Knux's mouth quirked up in a half smile.  
  
"Your punches were off aim, though," Responded the red echidna. Rouge came back with a "Yeah, but so were your kicks."  
  
"I'll make you a deal. You teach me to kick well, I'll teach you to punch. We kinda need it, anyway, since those are our weak spots."  
  
"Deal." They shook on it. Knuckles looked up, where he could see a beautiful sunset right behind his bat friend. Millions of little white dots already clouded the sky behind them, and from there it met with a brilliant shade of purple mixed with orange, yellow, and pink. The sun flecked its last rays of the day in their direction, as though waving goodbye, and then dissapeared. Knuckles turned Rouge around, seeing her confused face.  
  
"Wow, I haven't seen a sunset that beautiful for a long time now." she whispered. Knuckles plopped down, sitting on the grass and watching the slow - motion sunset, and his girlfriend fell down next to him, grabbing his hand. They both fell asleep under the stars that night, forgetting about the Master Emerald for once.  
  
~*~  
  
In another place in the world, say, the Rainforests, Dr. Alchmez and his crew had just discovered that there was a chaos emerald somewhere in the area, and were determined to get it.  
  
"HAHAHAHA! Once I get all nine emeralds, I can GET RID OF THOSE FOOLS WHO RIDICULED ME DURING MY SCHOOL DAYS! Plus, I can be supreme dictator of Earth. " He added as an afterthought.  
  
His minions sweatdropped behind him. Every day he said that about ten times, and they were getting sick of it.  
  
"Master, aren't there only seven emeralds?" Marigold dared ask for the first time. She, being a shopoholic and a spendthrift, never really paid much attention to her duties.  
  
"NO Marigold! The Master Emerald and Star Diamond neutralize the power of the Chaos Emeralds! That's why you dunderheads need to get them while I look for the Chaos emeralds! Get it?"  
  
"Yes sir." she responded. Under her breath, she whispered to her companion, "I think he's lost it."  
  
The stout one agreed. "Yes, I think so too. Wouldn't he rather have world domination rather than torment the people he has grudges on?"  
  
Marigold shook her head no. "He's strange that way."  
  
"Very strange."  
  
~*~  
  
A grunt came from the black echidna as he finished his training. Midnight needed to stay in shape if he wanted to protect the Star Diamond correctly. In a way, he was just like the old Knuckles, almost like his twin.  
  
"0.o! Scary thought." He said to himself that day, thinking along the same lines. He sighed, he'd really like to have some company, like that other echidna had that white bat.  
  
"Oh, well. . ." he whispered while sitting down on the steps to the shrine of the Diamond. He needed sleep badly, because he had a cramp in his left side and wanted to get rid of it. So he tucked the Diamond inside his arms as he drifted off to dreamland. Unfortunately, Marigold had been spying, and so she grabbed the Diamond and ran off to get Alchmez.  
  
~*~  
  
Once again, THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! *glomps everyone who replied* heh. Okay and i'm sorry again for the delay. I'll try to make it faster next time. Till next chappie peeps!  
  
~Rainie~ 


	4. Welcome Back!

'ELLO! I'M BACK! Anyway, I see I didn't get as many reviews as last time! :( Oh well, there goes my writing career! Thanks for reviewing anyway though! Ima try and make this chapter longer than the other one, I just realized that it was short! :-P! READ ON!  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
"Unh....."  
  
A figure emerged from the huge crater around him and collapsed on the sandy ground.  
  
Shadow the Hedgehog.  
  
"Where am I?" he wondered as he lay there, half concious. He didn't know he'd landed on Emerald Coast, which was deserted exept for a few people, and they didn't seem to notice him in the dark, until a certain couple walked in on him, that is.  
  
~*~  
  
Amy sighed, "Wow, Sonic, isn't this just romantic?"  
  
"Yyyeaa...." Sonic said dully, slouching his shoulders. He hadn't wanted to go out tonight, but Amy insisted on it. Suddenly, Sonic stumbled and fell upon an unmoving object laying sprawled on the ground.  
  
"OOMPH! Hey! What was that?" Amy helped him up, while looking for whatever or whoever it was that had tripped her boyfriend. The azure hedgehog gasped when he saw what made him fall down.  
  
"Sh - sh - sh - Shadow?!"  
  
The pink hedgehog poked Shadow. "He's not moving. Maybe we should get him to a hospital?" Sonic nodded, picked him up, and ran as fast as possible with his girlfriend clinging on desprately.  
  
~*~  
  
(A/N: Minor note here, things with only one quote around them [i.e. 'like this'] means someone's thinking it.)  
  
"Maybe we should get him to a hospital?" a voice said above him. Then, there was rushing wind, and the sound of speeding footsteps, Shad suspected, to the hospital.  
  
'This could only be Sonic.' he thought to himself. Unless there was another 'Ultimate Life-form' out there, Sonic was the only one that could run as fast as himself.  
  
~*~  
  
Soon enough, they arrived at the hospital with the black and red hedgehog in tact. Both of them wondered just how they were going to explain what happened to their one time enemy. A nurse passing by them glanced at Shadow and had already asked what happened, so Sonic made up a little white lie to save himself the trouble of going through the whole story.  
  
"Well, my friend here was in a fire accident, and he got burned preeeety badly. See?" he pointed out the practically charred fur on the unconcious hedgehog. She bought it, nodded, and took him from Sonic and Amy's hands.  
  
"Would you rather wait in here, or go home?" she asked, seeing how tired they were. Amy shook her head.  
  
"We'd like to stay and keep our friend company, if you don't mind." she said, with the most pleading look she could muster. The nurse, Maria, as Sonic saw on the nametag, called for a stretcher and took him to what seemed an emergency room.  
  
Sonic raised an eyebrow. 'Shad'll go crazy when he sees that name.'  
  
The pink hedgehog glanced out the window. It was morning already, and she could see people heading out for their jobs in suits of various colors and styles. She tugged on her boyfriend's arm.  
  
"We'd best get some rest, so if Shad wakes up, we can keep him company."  
  
He agreed, and they sat down on one of the lobby chairs and fell into a deep slumber.  
  
~*~  
  
Knuckles yawned, and realized that he wasn't anywhere near the Master Emerald Shrine. A little '?' popped over his head before remembering the previous night (lol, anime, duncha just lurve it? ^^'). Realizing Rouge wasn't there, he ran towards the shrine to see that she was already on duty. She raised an eyebrow as she saw him approach.  
  
"Good morning, or afternoon, rather."  
  
He just grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Err. . . I had a call from Amy this morning. Seems they found Shadow."  
  
This news brought Knuckles fully back to his senses. "They did?"  
  
His girlfriend nodded. "Yeah, and they say he's in the hospital. He isn't awake yet, but Amy wants everyone there."  
  
"She doesn't mean Eggman I hope."  
  
Rouge shook her head. "Of course not. Everyone meaning you, me, Sonic, Amy, and Tails."  
  
The red echidna yawned, stretched, and nodded. "Okay then, let's go." 


	5. Explanations

Ummmmmm.... Yeah... Sorry this installment's so late, I got caught up in plans to go somewhere else for Easter vacation! :) Oh yahz, do any of you go to sega.com, because I do, and I know the person who writes Nack the weasel: Redemptions does too! READ ON!  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
At Our Savior hospital, Sonic, Amy and Tails had just woken up from their sleep. Everyone yawned, and Sonic stretched.  
  
"Think he's awake yet?" Amy questioned sleepily.  
  
"Nah, he'll probably wake up sometime later."  
  
At that moment, Knux and Rouge walked through the door hand in hand.  
  
"Hiya!" The two treasure hunters said together.  
  
"Hi." Tails answered. He looked at them, "Did you cover the Master Emerald this time?"  
  
"Yeah, I don't think anyone will be able to find it."  
  
"Good."  
  
~*~  
  
"Okay, go grab it!"  
  
Eggman (Whoa, who saw that one coming?) went to go grab the Master Emerald, snagged it from under the fake rock, and they left Angel Island behind.  
  
~*~  
  
The doctor came out soon enough after at least 1:00 in the afternoon.  
  
"You can see him now, if you like.....He'll need to stay here for a week or so, though."  
  
"A WEEK!?" They all panicked.  
  
"He'll make a full recovery, right?" asked Amy.  
  
"Oh yeah, but he'll have a couple of scars for life."  
  
"Oh...." They all rushed in to see Shadow, with half opened eyes, and his normally jet black coat of fur was now covered with red burns and scars. Rouge and Amy grimaced.  
  
"Hi guys..." Shad whispered.  
  
"Hi!" Everyone echoed at the same time.  
  
"Eh... Been a long time, hasn't it...Faker?" Shadow said, forcing a smirk. Sonic grinned.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Shad, feeling up to a walk?"  
  
"Ummm....I guess."  
  
Just then the nurse came in, followed by the doctor who came to check on Shadow. He shook his head when he saw that the black and red hedgehog was up.  
  
"I told you, you must remain here for at least a week. Standing up will just prolong your stay."  
  
"But, please, couldn't he just come out on a wheelchair or something like that?" asked Tails.  
  
"Hmmm...." The doctor considered, "Okay." He called the nurse over and told her to go get a wheelchair. She came back about 3 minutes later wheeling an electronic wheelchair. The Sonic Team helped their friend in, and, on the walk, everyone explained how Eggman was gone. Shad seemed shocked at the news.  
  
"He's..... Dead....?"  
  
"Well, not exactly dead," Tails said, "but, yeah, he's gone. For now."  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile, in a certain scientist's laboratory, Eggman was planning to get out of the death trap he was in. His plan, though it seemed simple, was going to require much, much work.  
  
He was going to join the good guys.  
  
Ahh..... the shortness. sorry people but that's all for now. I have a lot of things to do! :) Oh yah, and someone requested that Eggman joined the good people by a personal e-mail. So....Yup. Bye now!  
  
~Rainie~ 


	6. Humor At The Hospital

Ahh..... the shortness. sorry people but that's all for now. I have a lot of things to do! :) Oh yah, and someone requested that Eggman joined the good people by a personal e-mail. So....Yup. Bye now!  
  
~Rainie~  
  
WOOT! SUMMER VACATION! Ya'll know what this means? It means I can work on my story again! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway I'm sorry for posting so late, so here's the next installment. READ ON!  
  
"Okay....." Shadow said while he sat placidly in the wheelchair he had been put in. "So.....There's practically nothing to do now?"  
  
"Well...." Put in Amy. "There's probably another evil out there somewhere....."  
  
"Why do you all keep saying that?!" sonic asked, irritated.  
  
"Well......It IS the truth, after all." Rouge pointed out.  
  
"Well then RELAX! We'll fight the baddies when they come."  
  
Knuckles sweatdropped.  
  
"Right. . ." Shadow said skepticaly.  
  
"Uh huh!" Amy said enthusiastically.  
  
"So, Shadow. How long do you think it'll be before you recover?" asked Tails.  
  
"I'm hoping tomorrow.....their food is HORRIBLE!"  
  
Everyone laughed. Well, except Knux.  
  
"It's the TRUTH!"  
  
"Sure, they serve you steak and you say it's bad....Oi Knuckles....." chortled his girlfriend.  
  
"BAAAAAAAAAD STEAK!" Shadow and Knuckles exclaimed together.  
  
Sonic just cracked up and Tails began to chuckle. Rouge and Amy shook their heads.  
  
"Oi, you guys don't believe us? Eat Shadow's lunch and you'll see what we mean!"  
  
"Yeah!" Shad put in.  
  
"M'k then," agreed Sonic, "but if it tastes good to me, you owe five bucks."  
  
"WHAT? WHY?!" they yelled.  
  
"I dunno........ask the author."  
  
"HEY AUTHOR! THAT AIN'T FAIR!"  
  
*Oh well. Live with it....I ran fresh out of ideas!*  
  
The Sonic Team sweatdropped.  
  
"Oh, fine...." Knux agreed, as they headed back for lunch at the hospital.  
  
15 minutes later.......  
  
"Sonic?" Amy knocked on the restroom door for the umpteenth time. "Sonniku, are you okay in there?"  
  
"Fine, Ames. Just fine." the blue blur said, after vomiting for what seemed like ages.  
  
He came out of the bathroom to find a red echidna rolling on the floor laughing, a black and red hedgehog sniggering hard, and two anthromorphic girls looking very worried, yet very amused at the same time. He rolled his eyes and paid Knuckles and Shadow five dollars each. After all, it was only fair.  
  
"Thanks," Rad Red said with an evil grin.  
  
"What'd I tell ya, huh?" said Shadow, grasping the bill in his gloved hand.  
  
"All right, all right! You don't have to rub it in!"  
  
Rouge had to bite her lip so hard to keep from laughing that it started to bleed. Amy was about to point this out, but raised an eyebrow as Rouge simply licked the droplets of blood off.  
  
"This ain't fair....." grumbled Sonic.  
  
*Well heck, it was your bet.*  
  
"Ha!" His friends 'ha'ed.  
  
~*~  
  
The now entirely gold Dr. Robotnik sat in his bedroom when it was breaktime. Clearing his head, he managed to figure out what he had to work on:  
  
1: The Personality 2: The Villain Part 3: A really big apology note  
  
He now supposed that one and two were about the same thing, and crossed #2 off of the list. Soon as he was done, he got out several pieces of paper, a pen, sat down at a nearby desk, and began to write.  
  
Dere Hedgehog & Co,  
  
After much deliberation, I have decided to join forces with you. I am terribly sorry for what I've done, and I hope that you can find it in yourselves to forgive me and let me join you. There is also some information that I would like to share with you, so I need to see you all APAS.  
  
Yours Truly, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, World's greatest genius  
  
He reread the letter and, realizing he had made several mistakes in his hurry to send it, rewrote it again, three times in succession because he kept making different mistakes. Finally deciding to do it on the computer because there he could leave no scratchmarks, he typed it, printed it out, and, with one of his fingers, accidentally smeared the ink.  
  
"AUGH!" he yelled, whilst sealing the letter and placing the addresses and stamps.  
  
"There." he said, as he dropped it in the post box and stomped back off to headquarters.  
  
3 days later......  
  
O.o! Went Sonic's face after he read the rather shorter than standard Eggman letter.  
  
-_-;;....read Knuckles' face after he saw it and passed it to Rouge, having been tricked many times by the scientist.  
  
Shadow laughed out loud after he read it, and passed it to Amy, who looked very pale. Tails was the only one who managed to keep his expression clearly serene.  
~*~  
  
*Sighs* You all must hate me now......Waddaz you think? I'm sorry for not posting sooner, damn writer's block. ahh well.  
  
~Rainie~ 


End file.
